March 29, 2003
Cultural Differences in Gestures
I was reading What Does a "Thumbs Up" Mean in Iraq? at Slate, and I was reminded how ethno-cultural differences extend to areas that we do not normally think about. For example, it's not entirely clear whether the man on this picture is signalling approval of coalition forces, or means the more traditional "Up, yours". Apparently, according to the article, the US Defense Language Institute has determined that Iraqis are savvy in Western body language and are voicing their approval. Perhaps, although the Saddam picture on the left makes me doubt that explanation.
The article states that this gesture has the "Up, yours" meaning in various countries, including Greece. Perhaps it did once, but I haven't enqountered it with that meaning in the last quarter-century or so, that I've been alive. Greeks tend to use the so-called "Roman finger" (which is actually first recorded in the comedied of Aristophanes of Athens) for this purpose nowadays, i.e., to raise the third digit, while keeping the other digits contracted. The inverse, i.e., lowering the third digit has a similarly negative meaning.
But, the most traditional gesture of insult among Greeks is the mountza which consists of extending all fingers and presenting the palm towards the to-be-insulted person, or even to the air, if what one wants to insult/complain about is not present. Caution: giving the mountza to a Greek is quite offensive. Its main difference from a normal salute is in the motion towards the to-be-insulted person, and in the extension of the fingers. Example:
There are many such ethno-cultural differences in gestures. A different example, is in the expression of negation. Most Europeans use the lateral movement of the head ("he shook his head"), while Greeks use the upward motion of the head to do the same, and the downward motion for affirmation (I am told that the same is true in Sicily ?), although the sidewards movement is understood as a negative as well.
Think also of differences in expressions of affinity. For example, notice how Russians greet each other by kissing on their cheeks three times (1-2-1). Greeks only do it two times. A kiss on the lips between relatives or friends is taboo in Greece, although it is not considered much in other countries.
We will gain much by studying gestures, posture, expression, and other cultural aspects of behavior across different ethnic groups. Here are some books for further reading. I have not read either of them (yet), but I plan to. Please add info on any ethnic-specific gestures that you are aware of!
As I was finishing this entry, I came up to this great site on Foreign Fingers that has some information about hand insults from around the world. Interesting reading. There is also apparently a book on which that site is based on.
Gestures : The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World
by Roger E. Axtell
Update: A site on Greek gestures by a couple of Danes
Posted by Dienekes at March 29, 2003 09:27 PM | PermaLink An unusual question:
Has any Physical Anthropologist ever made comments on the direct influence the biological constitution of an ethnic group may have on the inflections of the voice, volume,
"coloratura" and overall -as a people- on language accents? Is this partialy ,at least, on our racial genetics or is it only individualy determined?
Is there a more inward, encoded vocal manifestation of ethnicity than the rather cultural greco-latin tendency to complement verbal expression with hands ? Take for instance the characteristical deep, dark blue voice of a negro man. One may recognize his race just by listening at it.
Could we draw any higher conclusions or is this going to far?
I don't have any sources handy at the moment, but yes, there have been studies on racial differences in vocalization and language. One interesting observation is in the distribution of the various phonemes, e.g., Greeks/Spaniards/Englishmen pronouncing the 'th' sound, as opposed to French/Germans/Russians who cannot. Other differences are in "utterance rate", i.e., how quickly one speaks (measured in number of phonemes, or words/sec), and also in how variable the talking speed is.
Posted by: Dienekes at March 31, 2003 08:06 PM